Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Happy Fourth Birthday, Waverly Maye!

Four years ago today, I was four days overdue, in my second day of labor after being induced, and waiting on my first baby, the one who would make me a mama. I was the first of my friends to be pregnant, my little girl would be the first grandchild on my side of the family, and I really hadn't been around a newborn baby since my little brother was born when I was ten. I was clueless about what to expect, maybe a little bit terrified, & excited out of my mind.

Waverly Maye, you finally made your debut at nine that night, 48 hours after they started my labor (my nurses said you might just have held a record), and you have continued to make yourself known ever since. From the days that you were a baby, you have had this infectious, vibrant, spirited personality that is both addicting and exhausting all at the same time. To know you is to love you, you are shy at first but you come around oh so quickly, and can make anyone feel like they have known you forever within minutes. There's a reason that most of the sales associates at both Target & the mall know your name, and it isn't just because your mama likes to shop. You are strong-willed as they come, but you have a heart of gold and want to take care of everyone around you, even if they are much older than you. Touch is your love language, you love to love, baby girl. You are determined, you hate not being able to master something the very first time you do it, but are ecstatic and so proud once you finally figure it out. You are full of drama, you are spunky, you are sassy, you are as high-maintenance as I can imagine any little girl being - and you are simply incredible, more than we ever could have dreamed of. We would not change one thing about you.

This year has brought so many changes. You started school and though you were shy at first, it turned out to be the best thing for you. You loved your class and especially your little girlfriends, and would spend hours upon hours teaching your dolls just like your first teacher, Ms. Heather, taught you. You have watched your baby sister grow, and from day one, have loved her so fiercely. Sometimes too fiercely (gentle is not your jam), but I have never for one second doubted your absolute deep-down love for her. It's amazing to watch and I don't know that there is anything else in life that I'm more thankful for than that you both will have each other forever.

You ask me everyday "is me big mama?", and want to know when you will officially be four, because then it means you are closer to five, and six, and seven. You love to look at pictures of when you were first born and talk about how much fun it was. When I ask you if you will be my baby forever, you laugh and say "no!" and that you can't wait to get on the big yellow bus to go to school. It makes me sad to think about how fast all of this is going and how big you are now, but then soon after you ask me to hold you or want me to cuddle with you and I realize how little you still are. I remember that we will have each other forever, I still need my mom and I can only hope that you will always still need me, too. Because I'll always, always be there.

There's little moments from my life that I remember so vividly, almost like I am reliving them (you will understand one day), and at the top of that list is about four hours after you were born. I was by myself in the hospital room, your daddy had gone down the hall & they had taken you down for some testing. They wheeled you in and you were laying there in your blue floral gown your grandma had gotten you, and your blue eyes were wide open, just staring at me. It was the moment that motherhood became real for me. My love for you (and now your sister) is unlike anything I have ever felt. You drive me crazy, but within seconds, I can look into those same eyes and forget about all of the difficult moments because none of them compare to getting to be your mom. There is nothing that has ever made me happier or more fulfilled than that.

I love you to the moon, Waverly Maye. Happy FOUR, baby girl!

And PS - To celebrate Waverly's birthday, I am giving away a store credit to two of my favorite shops, Hello Ellie & Emmy's Pretties - head over to my IG to enter!

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